how,
Some fool, some idiot, who lacks
A grain of sense, proposes now
A tax.

A Tax on Bachelors! Ah, well,
If this becomes the law's decree,
I cheerfully shall pay the _L._
_S.D._,

Quite happy with my single lot,
Convinced beyond a doubt that life
Is just worth living it you've not
A wife.

(A LITTLE LATER.)

[Illustration]

I'll sing exaltedly no more,
But sadly in a minor key
Will tell what fortune had in store
For me.

I rather think, the other day,
That someone asked, "Should women woo?"
I'll answer that without delay--
They do!

She came--I foolishly was glad--
She took me captive with a glance,
Of course I never really had
A chance.

And when she bent her pretty head
To ask the question, I confess
That what at once with joy I said
Was "Yes."

She says our wedding is to be
On Monday--quite a swell affair.
My wife and I shall hope to see
You there.

* * * * *

"IS THIS THE HEND?"

The following, headed _Scottish Leader_, was sent to us as a
quotation:--

"The Duke of FIFE has sold the estate of Eden, near Banff,
to Mr. THOMAS ADAM, Deputy Chairman of the Great North of
Scotland Railway Company."

If the above information be correct, this transfer of "Eden" to "ADAM"
looks uncommonly like "Paradise Regained."

* * * * *

OUR BOOKING-OFFICE.

[Illustration: The Learned Baron.]

The Baron must say a word about _Voces Populi_, by F. ANSTEY, author
of the immortal _Vice Versa_. That the series contained in this
volume appeared in _Mr. Punch's_ pages is sufficient guarantee for
the excellence of its quality, and more than this it would not become
the Baron to say; but of the illustrations by J. BERNARD PARTRIDGE
the Baron can speak--and speak in terms of the highest admiration
of them--as works of genuinely artistic humour. There are twenty
illustrations, that is, ten brace of Partridges, if he will allow the
Baron so far to make game of him. The book is published by LONGMANS,
GREEN & Co.

The Leadenhall Press has brought out, in Pocket form, _Prince Dorus_,
by CHARLES LAMB, with nine coloured illustrations, following the
original Edition of 1811. The lines are not very